When it comes to what player will be selected with the first pick of the 2022 NBA Draft, there are three players on the forefront of everyone’s mind: Auburn’s Jabari Smith Jr., Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren and Duke’s Paolo Banchero. Those three players were all one-and-done standouts at their respective schools and feel like they are ready to make the leap to the NBA.
However, anyone who knows how to bet on NBA knows that there isn’t always a surefire Hall-of-Famer available at the top of every draft class. With that in mind, let’s take a look at which players have the best odds to be chosen No. 1 overall.
NBA Draft Pick and Odds
Jabari Smith Jr.
Smith, who is -125 to be taken by whichever team wins the NBA lottery, While the Tigers bowed out early in the NCAA Tournament, Smith did a lot of his positive things during his time with Auburn. Smith’s dad, Jabari Smith, played in the NBA wth the Sacramento Kings and Philadelphia 76ers.
Smith Jr. is also a distant cousin of former No. 1 pick Kwame Brown. Smith Jr. stuffed the stats sheet at Auburn. He averaged 16.9 points, grabbed 7.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game fr the Tigers. Smith, a 6-foot-10 guard, also shoots well from the perimeter. He knocked down 42 percent of his treys last season.
Chet Holmgren
Betting stats NBA show that Holmgren, a 7-foot center/power forward, has his share of growing pains with Gonzaga. Entering a season with a Bulldogs team that had an established senior post player in Drew Timme, and was expected to challenge for the Final Four, Holmgren was able to find his way.
Holmgren averaged 14.1 points, 9.9 rebounds and blocked 3.7 shots per game. He was named West Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year and WCC Newcomer of the Year. Holmgren showed off that he is capable of shooting from the perimeter, knocking down 39 percent of his attempts.
While Holmgren’s size and versatility will draw NBA teams to him, there are still some questions on how he will be able to defend at the professional level. There were times when Holmgren struggled against smaller schools.
Paolo Banchero
The Duke standout is +440 to be chosen as the top pick. The 6-10 forward’s year with the Blue Devils did see bumps in the road. Banchero was arrested early in the season as part of DWI stop where he was charged with aiding and betting impaired driving.
Despite the off-the-court issue, Banchero didn’t miss any games during a year where Duke made an emotional run to the final four. NBA picks show that there were a lot of things the freshman forward did right. Banchero scored 17.2 points, grabbed 7.8 rebounds and handed out 3.2 assists per game.
Banchero’s 3-point shooting was middling, as he shot 33.8 percent from the perimeter. Banchero shot 47.8 percent from the field.
Draft Prediction
NBA betting odds show this is an important pick for the Orlando Magic, who currently holds the top spot in the draft. The Magic have missed the playoffs in eight of the past 10 seasons. Orlando hasn’t advanced past the first round of the playoffs since it reached the conference finals in 2010.
Smith’s size and scoring ability make him likely the first pick. However, Banchero is a player that could be a dark horse. The Magic may not want to take on a player like Holmgren, who has potential but may take a few years to catch up to the speed of the game.
How to bet on NBA Draft?
There isn’t much value in betting on Smith right now. Taking a shot at Banchero +440 will provide bettors with more value. There are various ways to bet on the draft in addition to who will be taken with the No. 1 pick. Bettors can also wager on over/unders of how many players will be taken at each position per round and which player will be selected by each team in the first round.
As the offseason cycle continues, it is important to keep an eye out for how the odds shift and if teams do any interviews discussing their future plans.
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